The California drought is affecting the state's sources for bottled water and businesses specializing in H20 are scrambling to find new places to tap nature after Gov. Jerry Brown asked for a significant cuts in water usage.
Starbucks announced it will move the source of its Ethos water to Pennsylvania until it could find another supplier in the western United States,
according to Mother Jones magazine. The magazine noted the move came after its own investigation about companies using water in California to ship to stores outside the state.
"We are committed to our mission to be a globally responsible company and to support the people of the state of California as they face this unprecedented drought," said John Kelly, Starbucks senior vice president of global responsibility and public policy in a
company statement.
"The decision to move our Ethos water sourcing from California and reduce our in-store water usage by more than 25 percent are steps we are taking in partnership with state and local governments to accelerate water conservation," said Kelly.
The Merced Sun-Star reported that local residents had become upset that the Safeway-Lucerne Foods Bottling Plant was reportedly using the Merced municipal wells for the water it bottles and sells in stores around the country.
"If they are using a city well, then it's the residents' water," said Jean Okuye, vice president of Valley Land Alliance. "I would be very concerned because it could be affecting the residents' water directly. And when you turn on that tap and we don't have any water, people will maybe wake up and think about who is taking all the water."
Wal-Mart was criticized this week for allegedly using the Sacramento municipal water supply as the source of its own Great Value water,
according to KOVR-TV.
"Either they were unaware, uninformed or unintentionally did this," said Doug Elmets, a public relations professional. "It could be all three of those. Whatever it is, it's a bad move and they need to correct it and they need to do it quickly."
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